Fall
by InkwellRaven
Summary: RobRae Week 2019 writing prompt "Fall" Raven found herself hurtling toward the ground between the buildings of Jump City. It was nothing new, she was used to falling . . . in as many ways as a person could fall. But she never thought she'd fall in a way that meant Robin wouldn't catch her . . . until now. (It's pure fluff guys. Achingly sweet fluff. Fluffy, fluff, Fluff.)


Legalities: I do not own or own rights to the Teen Titans

**Fall**

The air rushed past her, blowing her hair back from her face as she watched the ground steadily approaching. She called out on her powers to stop her descent but where she always felt that familiar hum of power she felt nothing but cold and empty. Whatever that pulse was that Chang had hit her with had disabled her powers somehow, like he said they would, and now she was falling from the tall building's roof with no way to stop herself.

She couldn't help but think of the last time she was falling like this. Slade had chased her through the city after she had stopped time trying to escape him. He had finally caught her and had burned the marks of her father into her skin, delivering his precious prophecy. Slade had shoved her from the rooftop afterward and she had gone hurtling to the earth, just as she was now.

Maybe she was destined to fall.

She knew without her powers that she couldn't suppress her emotions like she was used to and she wondered why she wasn't feeling the all consuming fear that she had expected. She didn't scream and she wasn't closing her eyes in terror as she would have thought with her emotions given free reign. But as quickly as she wondered at her lack of fear, she had a moment of clarity as to why.

She knew that Robin would catch her.

She knew it with such certainty that there was no room for fear. Every time she had fallen, he had been there to catch her and she had no doubt that this time would be no different.

She finally closed her eyes, and waited. She could feel the bond she shared with him and she _knew_, somehow, that he was coming for her.

She felt the impact of a strong arm around her waist as her trajectory changed from a downward plunge to the pavement below into an arc that was now carrying her back up through the air. She reached for him and clutched onto his shoulders, holding onto him so he wouldn't have to support her with just one arm. It was seconds later that his feet skid on a nearby rooftop, and he came to a stop, crouched, with her cradled in his arms.

He was panting from the effort to get to her in time and he held her to him for a moment in relief before loosening his grip on her and looking at her, as if to check to make sure she was okay. He looked over her before returning his gaze to her face and letting out a sigh.

"Are you okay?" he asked, brushing hair from her face.

"Chang," she said suddenly, the memory of him knocking her from the roof springing to her mind as she tried to sit up. Robin didn't release his hold of her and she settled back into his arms.

"He's been handled," Robin soothed. "Cyborg took him out. _Are you okay?"_

She nodded, but then shook her head.

"Chang hit me with something that negated my powers."

"That's why you couldn't save yourself," he surmised. "I saw you fall and you weren't teleporting. Something felt wrong in our bond and . . . I had to get to you in case – in case something was wrong. I'm glad I did."

"I still don't have access to them, my powers," she said, panic creeping into her voice. "I – I can't control my emotions. Robin, I feel like I'm drowning in them."

Robin looked at her in concern as he could see her uncontrollable trembling and her rapid breathing. He stroked her face as he shushed her, trying to get her to calm down.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's going to be okay. Raven, breathe. Just breathe for me, okay?"

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on slowing her breathing. But as she put all of her effort into trying to regain control of her breath she could feel the emotions that she fought so hard to suppress bursting to the surface while her focus was elsewhere. She had felt like this once before, the first time she had ever had alcohol and the time that she had had far too much. She had felt out of control then, just as now, and as she focused on not throwing up everything she had eaten that night her emotions had taken advantage, risen to the surface, and burst from her. It hadn't turned out well that time and she now feared a repeat performance.

"You – you're always there the catch me," she stammered, almost slurring her speech and no longer in control of what she said, like her filters were gone. "Every time I fall you're there to catch me. With Slade, with Chang, and with all the inconsequential times during everyday battles. You always catch me."

He let out a single, relieved laugh not knowing that she had no control of the words spilling from her. "I always will, Raven."

Tears formed in her eyes and spilled in large, unchecked drops out of the corners of her eyes. She looked around wildly as if trying to see the thoughts swirling around her before forcing herself to look at him again. Words poured from her as her emotions finally got a chance to say what they wanted.

"I'm not sure you'll be there this time, Robin," she gasped. "I . . . I'm still falling and I don't know how to stop. I try to keep it controlled, suppressed, but I can't help but feel what I feel. I'm still falling. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, Raven. Shhh. What are you talking about? Falling how?"

She looked into his masked eyes, tears still spilling from her and she reached out to cup his face with her hand. Her face screwed up in an expression of sorrow.

"I'm still falling, Robin. I can't help it and I don't want you to feel bad for not being able to catch me. It's not your fault you can't catch me."

Robin's eyes grew wide as he _felt_ what she meant through their bond. The realization hit him soon after. She meant that she was falling for him. She was falling for him and had been trying to stop, or at the very least to hide what she felt, and was now apologizing for it because she didn't think he'd be able to return her feelings. Without her powers to filter the flow of emotions through their bond he could feel _everything_ that she was projecting and he felt something tight in his chest.

He stroked her hair and kept trying to get her to calm down, afraid she was going to hyperventilate or pass out. When her breathing finally evened out she realized what she had said and she looked up at him with fear and embarrassment in her eyes.

He looked down at her, his face serious as he spoke.

"I have always had a responsibility as the leader of the Titans, Raven. Batman had made sure that I knew of the severity of it when I took the leadership of this team. I try to live up to those standards and expectations, his as well as mine, every day. Right from the beginning I told myself that I couldn't let any of my feelings or emotions interfere with the duty that I had to fulfill."

Raven looked away from him as she felt her insides clench with every word that she had feared he would say. Duty was imperative to him, she _knew_ that, but hearing him say that it was to be his only focus was a very different thing.

She felt him grab her chin gently and attempt to turn her face back toward him. She wasn't ready to see the pity on his face as he tried to let her down gently, but his hand was insistent and she finally let him turn her face back to his.

But it was not pity on his face.

A small smile crept across his face as he leaned toward her.

"I _told_ myself that I wasn't going to let any emotions interfere with that duty, but I was lying. I couldn't help what I felt either. I never said anything because I was afraid of changing the dynamic of the group and that any repercussions would be _my_ fault. I was supposed to keep the team strong, not create problems. But maybe my silence caused more problems than it solved. But I can't ignore what I feel now that I know how _you_ feel."

He held her face in both of his gloved hands and she could feel him pushing at their bond, projecting _his_ feelings for _her_ to feel this time and her breath quickened as she recognized the feelings as the same ones she had revealed to him. She tried to speak but no words came to her. She simply stared at him, trying to process what he had said on top of wrestling with her uncontrolled emotions.

"But you're right, Raven," he whispered, reaching up and removing his mask so he could look at her without hindrance, "I can't be there to catch you this time."

It took a moment for the words to register and when they did a sob escaped her. She had started to hope and now she felt it was being dashed. Robin shushed her gently again, smiling at her.

"Raven, I can't catch you because I'm falling too. I'm falling right there with you."

She looked at him bewildered, his words finally starting to sink in and that hope she had never dared to think was possible returned and began to grow inside of her. Another sob burst forth, but this one was relief and shock and amazement all at once.

"I'm falling right there with you," he repeated before brushing her lips with his, "And I don't think I want to be saved."


End file.
